Hello everyone, In today’s post we will be looking at my top 5 books about Irish history and culture! Ireland has some of the most famous authors of the 21st century, there is Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and George Bernard Shaw just to name a few. To celebrate Saint Paddy’s day I thought I would list some of my favorite books that are either by Irish authors or celebrate Ireland in some way. My normal ratings of 1-5 stars will also be issued to each of these books. Without further ado let us get on with the list!

1.) Angela’s Ashes By Frank McCourt

This book most likely needs no introduction as for many of us it was on the required reading list in school. The book

is about the author Frank McCourt’s early life in Limerick, Ireland. The story goes heart wrenching detail of Frank’s alcoholic father, hardworking devoted mother and the never ending hardships he and his siblings face. I do not want to give too much away in case you have not read it as it is truly a humbling story. It is a sad reminder that life is often not fair, but all you can do is try to make the best of your situation and improve your life. It also makes you realize that even though thing are far from perfect humanity has come a long way in the past century.

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2.) Gracelin O’Malley By Ann Moore

Next on this list is the first book of the Gracelin O’Malley trilogy by English author Ann Moore. This book follows the story of a 15 year old girl who is forced to marry and English landlord against her will. The time frame of this story is during 1900 century potato famine so food and morale is already low for most people. Through out the book we see her use her wits, attitude and over all strong willed nature to survive this ordeal.  While the book did not exactly blow me away it did have a good fast paced story. My one complaint would be the villain of the story; her cruel English husband Bram Donnelly. He acts a lot like the cliched “evil husband” that appears a lot in these sort of books. Other than that I enjoyed, I enjoyed this book and would still recommend it as a light read.

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3.) Tis Herself By Maureen O’Hara

This book is the memoir of the famous Irish actress Maureen O’Hara. In this book, O’Hara recounts her early

childhood, success in Hollywood and her famously unfortunate love life. I absolutely adored this book from front to finish. O’Hara is a brilliant story teller, she tells her life story without apology or restraint. Some of it is glorious and beautiful and some of it is tragic and full of despair. If you are fan on Maureen O’Hara’s or even just curious about the life of one Hollywood’s most famous leading ladies then I highly recommend this book.

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4.) The Irish Princess By Karen Harper

Before I even say anything about the book I just wanted to point out how beautiful the cover of this books is! I know they tell us not to judge a book by its cover, but it is honestly what captured my attention when I first picked this books up. This story follows the story of Gera Fitzgerald, the daughter of the Earl of Kildare. After her father is imprisoned by Henry VIII, she decides to go to court in England to seek revenge against the king for the wrong that has been done to her family. If like you like The Tudors or books of that nature than you will love this book. Many famous historical figures appear in this book which in my opinion adds but also detracts from the story. While it makes sense for Henry VIII to appear in this story there are some other figures who appear to just be thrown in just because the reader will most likely recognize them.  It does not ruin the book, but I have to admit it was a bit distracting sometimes. I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in Tudor court life.

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5.) Are You Somebody? By Nuala O’Faolain

I have saved the shortest book for last! Are You Somebody: The accidental Memoir by Nuala O’Faolain is a

straightforward and simple read that can be finished in about one dedicated hour. Despite its shortness in length it has valuable wisdom in it that many books double its size do not have. The story revolves mostly around Nuala’s early life in Dublin and the challenges and struggles she faced. I love how she addresses the issues of alcoholism and sexism in a blunt and direct manner. Too many times we see people glorify the customs and traditions of the past and seem to forget if it was the great for everyone things would have stayed that way. On the other hand, she also admits that she is often lonely for a husband and children. This was also refreshing as the topic is often deemed to sensitive to discuss for some women. Overall I can’t recommend this book enough, it has a very honest and unique feel that many memoirs do not have.

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Well, I hope I have given you some suggestions to read for Saint Paddy’s day this year.  Whether you celebrate it or not, I believe anyone can get something out of these books. So why not curl up with a nice cup of tea and transport yourself to the Emerald Isle….. or maybe a nice Guinness instead.

If you would like to find some other books to read please check out my other post on Books You Should Read in 2018.